938 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 104. 



lows: In tropical cyclones, perfectly 

 formed, tlie currents of the lower cloud 

 level move in a circle, while from the alto- 

 cumulus to the cirrus level the currents di- 

 verge from the center, the divergence in- 

 creasing up to the cirrus clouds, which 

 move directly from the center. If, when 

 within the direct influence of tropical cy- 

 clones, it is found that the lower currents 

 do not conform strictly to cyclonic forma- 

 tion, the high-current angles should be used 

 to locate the bearing of the center, for the 

 upper currents are not influenced by local 

 conditions. When the upper clouds show 

 any marked departure from the regular cy- 

 clonic current angles, there is little need of 

 apprehending danger from storm winds, for 

 there is then imperfect formation of the cy- 

 clone. 



KITE METEOROLOGY AND WEATHER FORE- 

 CASTS. 



That meteorological observations made 

 in the free air by the use of kites seem des- 

 tined soon to play an important part in the 

 making of weather forecasts has already 

 been suggested in these notes, and is 

 further indicated in a short paper by 

 Hammon in the Monthly Weather Review for 

 August. On August 28th two kites were 

 flown in San Francisco during the preval- 

 ence of a moderate west wind (14 miles 

 an hour). After an elevation of 1,000 

 feet was reached, the kites drifted more 

 and more to the northward. On the next 

 day another ascent was made and the 

 southerly current was met at a height of 

 1,200 feet. On this day a very marked 

 electrification of the air was noted. During 

 the following night and the succeeding day 

 a general rain fell throughout northern 

 California, the heaviest August rain of 

 which there is record in many places. That 

 the unusual southerly current and the 

 electrification of the air were associated 

 with the rain seems evident. 



REPORT OF THE CHICAGO METEOROLOGICAL 

 CONGRESS. 



Part III. of the ' Eeport of the Interna- 

 tional Meteorological Congress held at Chi- 

 cago, August 21-24, 1893,. under the aus- 

 pices of the Congress Auxiliary of the 

 "World's Columbian Expedition,' has just 

 been issued. Parts I. and II. were pub- 

 lished some time ago. It is always a 

 matter of regret that such a publication 

 should be so long delayed, as it loses much 

 of its interest on that account. The Chicago 

 Meteorological Congress, although attended 

 by few persons from this country and by 

 still fewer from abroad, was the means of 

 bringing together a large number of valu- 

 able papers, written by the leading meteor- 

 ologists of the world, on all manner of 

 topics connected with meteorology and re- 

 lated sciences. Our Weather Bureau has had 

 in charge the translation and publication of 

 these articles, and they have appeared as 

 Bulletin ]S"c. 11, Parts I., II. and III. The 

 present part contains the papers on clima- 

 tology and on instruments and methods of 

 investigation, prepared for Sections VII. and 

 VIII. of the Congress. 



METEOROLOGICAL WORK IK SOUTHWESTERN 

 RUSSIA. 



The admirable work done during the ten 

 years (1886-1895) in southwestern Russia, 

 under the direction of Dr. Klossovsky, is 

 set forth in a publication entitled Travaux 

 clu JReseau meteorologique du sud-ouest de la 

 Russie. Dix Ans d^Uxistence, 1886-1895. 

 The activities of this meteorological service 

 have been varied and the results obtained 

 have been of great value. Apart from the 

 regular observations, extended studies have 

 been made of the climate, agricultural and 

 soil conditions, thunderstorms and hail- 

 storms, distribution of rainfall, etc. Dr. 

 Klossovsky 's recent map showing the dis- 

 tribution of thunderstorms over the earth's 



